Pivoted belt clamp to align with belt twist during linear motion in print job finisher

Abstract

A sheet stack aligning mechanism for a print job finishing machine is provided. The mechanism includes a belt driven in a reciprocating motion; a stationary rod having a longitudinal direction; a sheet stack alignment tamper that tamps a stack of sheets into alignment; and a belt clamp. The belt clamp has a main body attached to the sheet stack alignment tamper, a pivot pin, a belt attachment portion pivotably attached to the main body by the pivot pin, the belt attachment portion being fixed to the belt such that it does not move relative to the belt, and a bushing portion fixed to the main body and slidably attached to the rod. The pivot pin permits the belt attachment portion to follow a movement of the belt in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal direction while the main body moves only in the longitudinal direction of the rod.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet stack aligning mechanism for a print job finishing machine, the mechanism comprising:
 a first belt driven in a reciprocating motion in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; 
 a first stationary rod having a longitudinal direction and configured to be stationary relative to a body of the print job finishing machine; 
 a first sheet stack alignment tamper that is configured to tamp a stack of sheets of media into alignment; and 
 a first belt clamp having
 a first main body attached to the first sheet stack alignment tamper, 
 a first pivot pin, 
 a first belt attachment portion pivotably attached to the first main body by the first pivot pin, the first belt attachment portion being fixed to the first belt such that the first belt attachment portion does not move relative to the first belt, and 
 a first bushing portion fixed to the first main body and slidably attached to the stationary rod, 
 
 wherein the first pivot pin permits the first belt attachment portion to follow a movement of the first belt in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod while the first main body of the first belt clamp moves only in the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
 
     
     
       2. The mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       3. The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second belt driven in a reciprocating motion in the first direction and the second direction; 
 a second sheet stack alignment tamper that is configured to tamp the stack of sheets of media into alignment; and 
 a second belt clamp having
 a second main body attached to the second sheet stack alignment tamper, 
 a second pivot pin, 
 a second belt attachment portion pivotably attached to the second main body by the second pivot pin, the second belt attachment portion being fixed to the second belt such that the second belt attachment portion does not move relative to the second belt, and 
 a second bushing portion fixed to the second main body and slidably attached to the stationary rod, 
 
 wherein the second pivot pin permits the second belt attachment portion to follow a movement of the second belt in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod while the second main body of the second belt clamp moves only in the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
 
     
     
       4. The mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       5. The mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are located on opposite sides of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       6. The mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are configured to move the first main body and the second main body toward each other during a tamping/alignment operation. 
     
     
       7. The mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are located on opposite sides of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       8. The mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are configured to move the first main body and the second main body toward each other during a tamping/alignment operation. 
     
     
       9. A print job finishing machine, comprising:
 a body; 
 a paper stacking area for holding a stack of sheets of media inside the body; and 
 a sheet stack aligning mechanism inside the body, the mechanism having
 a first belt driven in a reciprocating motion in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; 
 a first stationary rod having a longitudinal direction and being stationary relative to the body of the print job finishing machine; 
 a first sheet stack alignment tamper that is configured to tamp the stack of sheets of media into alignment; and 
 a first belt clamp having
 a first main body attached to the first sheet stack alignment tamper, 
 a first pivot pin, 
 a first belt attachment portion pivotably attached to the first main body by the first pivot pin, the first belt attachment portion being fixed to the first belt such that the first belt attachment portion does not move relative to the first belt, and 
 a first bushing portion fixed to the first main body and slidably attached to the stationary rod, 
 
 
 wherein the first pivot pin permits the first belt attachment portion to follow a movement of the first belt in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod while the first main body of the first belt clamp moves only in the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
 
     
     
       10. The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       11. The machine of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second belt driven in a reciprocating motion in the first direction and the second direction; 
 a second sheet stack alignment tamper that is configured to tamp the stack of sheets of media into alignment; and 
 a second belt clamp having
 a second main body attached to the second sheet stack alignment tamper, 
 a second pivot pin, 
 a second belt attachment portion pivotably attached to the second main body by the second pivot pin, the second belt attachment portion being fixed to the second belt such that the second belt attachment portion does not move relative to the second belt, and 
 a second bushing portion fixed to the second main body and slidably attached to the stationary rod, 
 
 wherein the second pivot pin permits the second belt attachment portion to follow a movement of the second belt in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod while the second main body of the second belt clamp moves only in the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
 
     
     
       12. The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       13. The machine of  claim 12 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are located on opposite sides of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       14. The machine of  claim 13 , wherein the first belt and the second belt move the first main body and the second main body toward each other during a tamping/alignment operation. 
     
     
       15. The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the first belt and the second belt are located on opposite sides of the stationary rod. 
     
     
       16. The machine of  claim 15 , wherein the first belt and the second belt move the first main body and the second main body toward each other during a tamping/alignment operation.